the honor system

Today I played music with friends in northeast.
I stopped at that new Ethiopian convenience store across from Binks and La Bonita, two of my favorite places in the world. I went in confident, seeing the neon "ATM" sign buzzing in the front window. I got some Pabts from the cooler and laid her down on the counter. Holding out my debit card to the owner behind the counter, I was shot-down politely in stereo. The owner and his wife. A small, middle-aged Ethiopian couple, both about five feet tall. Standing side by side. All smiley and squinty. Only with the counter separating them.
"Oh..." I said, "you've got an ATM..."
But, no the ATM was out of order.
I kind of fumbled through my wallet for cash and came up with a five dollar bill..... for a seven-fiftynine tab. They both, in stereo, said "that is good, you bring back two-fiftynine tomorrow."
I told them that I didn't live in the neighborhood any longer. They said to bring two-fiftynine back later, whenever. I said, a week? They said, in stereo, "Do you think it will rain today?"
I said, "It can do whatever it wants to."
I will go see them tomorrow.
After playing music, it was dark and much colder. I drove home fast with the heater full blast and my windows down while it rained.